Arabe Unido defeats W Connection, tops Group 1 table

Arabe Unido celebrates after scoring one of its goals in a 2-0 CONCACAF Champions League win over host DIRECTV W Connection on September 19, 2013, in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago. (Photo: Allan Crane)

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad & Tobago -- Arabe Unido (2-0-1, 6 points) is the new Group 1 leader in the CONCACAF Champions League after registering a 2-0 win over host DIRECTV W Connection (0-1-2, 1 point) on Thursday at Hasely Crawford Stadium.

Goals from Luis Fraiz and Abdiel Arroyo were enough to give the Panamanian side full points, pushing it past the idle Houston Dynamo (1-1-0, 4 points), which has a game in hand

In a dynamic encounter, Arabe took a 28th minute lead, when Fraiz gained possession of ball on the left corner of the 18-yard box and unleashed a left-footed shot that found the upper right corner.

W Connection nearly equalized in the 59th minute, but an effort from an unmarked Hashim Arcia -- at the edge of the six-yard box -- sailed over the crossbar.

Just one minute later, the Furia Colonese doubled its advantage. Arroyo raced into the box, rounded goalkeeper Alejandro Figueroa and easily slotted home for his second CCL goal of the year.

Both teams exchanged near misses late in the game, with Arabe’s Enrico Small hitting the left post.

The result marked the first time Arabe scored more than one goal in 10 all-time CCL away games, while W Connection extended its winless streak in the competition to seven games and was eliminated from contention.

The Trinidadians will close their participation in this year’s tournament with a trip to Houston for a September 25 meeting with the Houston Dynamo. Regardless of that game’s result, the group will be decided when Arabe hosts Houston on October 24.

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